Puzzle.



No. 848,580. PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907. J. F. TO0MBY.,

PUZZLE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 16,1908.

JOHN F. TOOMEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 26, 1907.

Application filed June 16,1906. Serial No. 322.093.

To all whom it Uta/y concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. TooMEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following-is a specification.

This invention is a puzzle or amusement device designed to test the ability of a person to make a ball or marble loop the loop, and it consists ofa box in which is placed a loop or spiral wall with an opening therein and a sloping or inclined runway around and also within the same, on which is placed a marble, the object being to cause the marble to proceed around the track on the outside of the loop and then enter within the same through the opening.

The device is illustrated in the accomp anying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modification. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section on the line 5 5 of Fig.4.

In the drawings,- 10 indicates a shallow box, which may be made of wood, pasteboard, or the like. Within this is secured a segmental strip 11, which is set on its edge on the bottom of the box and forms a segmental circular wall having an opening 11 in one side thereof between the ends of the strip. A raised false bottom or track 12 is secured to the bottom of the box at one edge or side, being the side adjacent to the opening 11 This track preferably consists of a piece of cardboard and provided with a segmental circular slot through which the wall 11 projects. At one end of the wall a slight depression 13 is made in the track in which the marble 14 is placed when starting to do the puzzle. The part 12 forms a track around the outside of the loop having an inclination in consequence of the angle or inclined position.

at which the piece 12 is set. In the use of the device the marble is placed at the starting-point and by manipulation of the box is rolled along the track around the outside of the wall and finally in through the opening This requires some skill to prevent the marble from rolling off the edge of the track.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the loop 11 is made slightly spiral in form, one end being directly inside the other so that the marble will enter more freely. Instead of the depression 13 an offset 11 is formed at the start. The platform or track slopes toward the loop on one side therof, as indicated at 12 and downwardly or away from the same on the other side thereof, as indicated at 12 so that there is great tendency of the marble to roll off the latter portion.

This modification is further provided with a runway 15, L-shaped in plan, which extends along two sides of the box from the lowest corner thereof or corner adjacent the incline 12 to a point near the beginning of the loop, and this runway slopes from the corner 15 toward each of its ends, and the purpose of the runway is to allow the marble in the event that it runs oif the track to be rolled along the runway back to the starting-point for another trial, which act will also require skill because of the tendency of the marble to roll off the runway.

I claim- 1. A puzzle comprising a box, a curved wall therein provided with an opening between its ends, a track raised from the bottom of the box and extending around the wall and across said opening and having a depression adjacent said opening, and a ball adapted to roll around on the track.

2. A puzzle comprising a box, a segmental wall therein, a raised track extending around the wall and being inclined on one side away from the wall, and a ball adapted to roll around on the track.

3. A puzzle comprising a box, a segmental wall therein, a track extending around the Wall and inclined toward the same on one side and away from the same on the other, and a ball adapted to roll around on the track.

4. A puzzle comprising a box, a segmental wall therein, a track extending around the wall and inclined away from the same on one side, an inclined runway leading from said side of the box to a point near the beginning of the track, and a ball adapted to roll on the track and runway.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. TOOMEY.

Witnesses:

NELLIE FELTSKOG, H. G. BATOHELOR. 

